This book is a collection of articles written over the past thirty years by Gleb Ershov—an art historian, art critic, and professor at the European University at St. Petersburg. Together, these texts form a portrait of Russian art, spanning from the era of nonconformism to the most recent developments on the contemporary art scene. The book is divided into two parts. The first contains reviews of major projects—such as festivals, biennials, and blockbuster museum exhibitions—along with essays on a variety of other topics. The second part focuses primarily on contemporary St. Petersburg artists, with texts written in conjunction with monographic exhibitions—many of which were organized by the author himself between the 1990s and the 2020s. Most of the pieces concerning contemporary artists—many of whom emerged from the "unofficial" cultural sphere—grew out of the author’s direct personal engagement and his role in developing these exhibition projects; this lends the writing the vivid, immediate quality of "participant observation." The volume is richly illustrated, offering a unique visual record that captures the dynamic evolution of art over the last few decades.